Cleveland High School - Beacon Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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aff MW, W ,MM W AW carriage in Citizen When a young woman in China gets married, her mother goes to the door with her, and says these words, You are going to your home, you must be respectful, you must be careful, and obey your husband. A married woman in China is known by her hair. In some parts of the country, the night before the wedding, some friends of the bride trim the hair on her forehead. Two threads are twisted and rolled over the forehead with the fingers. The twist of the threads pull out the fine fringe of hair around the forehead, giving it a square appearance. The bride must have her hair trimmed regularly to keep the shape correct. Some of the women today have given up this custom and use the wedding ring as we in the western nations do. V Meanwhile in the groom's home, the courtyard is made ready for the guest. High up on all sides of the awning that covers the yard, windows are covered with red bats and red joy characters. On the wedding morning, a richly embroidered sedan chair is brought to the groom's home, to await the time when the sedan bearers, accom- panied by musicians, drums, and gongs, go to get the bride. Before the chair leaves the groom's home, all the gods are worshipped and incense is burned and the chair searched for evil spirits. The mis- tress of ceremonies takes care of this procedure. She must be married, her husband still living, and must be a mother. She goes over the chair with a light and mirror so that the evil spirits may catch sight of them- selves and run off in fright. The chair is then sent to the bride's home. The groom goes by car, or carriage, to the house of his parents-in-law to be, and kowtows to them. The groom's family sends trays of fruit and food to the bride's family as a gift. In Peking, a married woman attendant usually goes to get the bride, riding in a green embroidered sedan chair. She takes with her the red flowered, lavishly trimmed bridal robe that is put on the bride just before she steps into the bridal chair, and a red kerchief is put on ,her head at the same time. The robe may be the property of the groom's family or borrowed for the occasion. The robe is only worn till the ceremony is over. The bride, dressed in her gay garments, awaits the chair. As she enters it, an apple is given her, and she takes one bite and leaves the rest behind. The bite of apple is kept in her mouth until she arrives in her 22

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UNLOADING SUPPLIES, HONG KONG These bamboo baskets of plums on the quay of Hong Kong have been unloaded from river junks. Even today the bulk of merchandise is carried by river transportation. The coolies pictured here have the strength and endurance which spring from will power and necessity rather than from a strong physique or a Well-filled stomach. So meager are their earnings that the adult members of the family must labor constantly and the children do What- ever their strength permits. It is not uncommon to see children carrying a pair of these huge baskets filled with vegetables and fruit and hung from a bamboo pole which is carried on their shoulders. 21 g l vu.

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own bedroom, in her new home: she then takes it out and puts it on the K'ang. This is done to secure peace, Ping being the first of two char- acters meaning apple, and also the first of two characters meaning peace. When the bride arrives at the groom's house, a string of firecrackers are set off to scare the evil spirits. The chair is carried through the court yard, over a hs'p'em or fire basin containing glowing charcoal. After the chair arrives in the public room, the groom shoots three pointless arrows under the chair to scare the evil spirits away. The chair, from which the carrying rods have been removed, is placed in the middle room, and set down by the bride's bedroom door. Two matrons assist the bride to get out. As she alights she steps on a horse's saddle inside the door of her room, under which two apples have been placed. The apples are put into one of her hands and a gilded vase in the other. The bride and groom, and the two attendants go before a white paper tablet, representing heaven and earth, to worship. She is then led to her bedroom, and set on her K'ang or bed, and the groom sits down too, at the more honorable place at the left, and she at the right. The groom uncovers her face by lifting the red kerchief that has covered her face till now. A gilded pot of wine and two cups are then brought in. A little wine is poured in each one, and one is given to the bride and one to the groom. The groom takes a sip, gives it to one of the attendants, who pours a little in the cup of the bride, and a little from her cup into his. Then they sip from the mixed wine. This is called I wan youam, viz., to make a perfect circle. After the ceremony, a brass basin is brought in and placed upside down on the K'ang near them. Underneath this are put the two apples and a small box, the characters for this being Ping ho, meaning harmony Before the bride left her own home, thirty-two meat dumplings Cchu po pol were prepared. These are taken to the bride's new home and cooked for the groom and bride. These are placed on the upturned basin, instead of a table. Thus the first meal is eaten in harmony. The bride may not get down from the K'ang until the members of her own family come. Before seeing the guests the newlyweds go before the household gods, and finally before the mother and father of the groom, and then they receive their guests. At eight o'clock in the morning of the third day, the guests are again invited. The ceremony of emptying the Gold and Silver precious vase is performed. The bride and groom sit on the K'ang, tailor fashion. A 23